To increase the sustainability of thea's eight-year shaved ice stand, which item would have the greatest impact?

• A. Increase advertising
• B. Determine what factors drive sales
• C. Hire more staff
• D. Expand menu offerings

Answer: (B)

Understanding what factors drive sales is the most powerful way to improve sustainability because it shows you where demand truly comes from and how customers respond to changes. When you know which elements have the biggest influence—weather, pricing, hours of operation, promotions, location, and product mix—you can tailor pricing, opening times, staffing, and inventory to match actual demand and use resources where they make the most impact. Advertising can help, but without knowing what drives sales, you risk wasting money. Hiring more staff increases capacity, yet if demand isn’t aligned with operations, costs rise without meaningful gains. Expanding the menu might attract more customers, but it also adds costs and complexity that can hurt profitability if not tied to the real demand factors. By identifying the key drivers of sales, you establish the foundation for decisions that boost revenue and control costs over the long term.